Signal recording/reproducing method and apparatus, signal record medium and signal transmission/reception method and apparatus

Abstract

A signal recording/reproducing method and apparatus, signal record medium and signal transmission/reception method and apparatus, whereby a signal recorded on a signal record medium can identified as being an original signal or a copied signal. A CPU 11 generates, at a pre-set time interval, an identification signal having a meaning at a pre-set time interval, and an identification signal addition circuit 3 adds the identification signal to the video signals and/or the audio signals. A sector forming circuit 5 and circuit components up to a recording/reproducing head 14 record the video signals and/or the audio signals and the ancillary identification signal on an optical disc 12.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A signal transmission method comprising: 
       detecting a high level portion of a video signal and/or audio signal in a predetermined time interval;  
       modifying a least significant bit of a plurality of portions of said video signal and/or an audio signal within said predetermined time interval to include an identification relative to said video signal and/or said audio signal within a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, a determined high level portion thereof in a configuration so as to reduce the effects of the inclusion of said identification on said video signal and/or said audio signal, wherein said identification is detected only by sampling and detecting all of the least significant bits of all of the video signal and/or audio signal in said predetermined time interval, and processing all of said detected least significant bits; and  
       transmitting said video signal and/or said audio signal including the identification.  
     
     
       2. The signal transmission method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said video signal and/or said audio signal is modified to include said identification in a configuration so that said identification is detected by statistic processing said video signal and/or said audio signal. 
     
     
       3. The signal transmission method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein a least significant bit of a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal is modified to include said identification. 
     
     
       4. A signal transmission apparatus comprising: 
       means for detecting a high level portion of a video signal and/or audio signal in a predetermined time interval;  
       means for modifying a least significant bit of a plurality of portions of said video signal and/or an audio signal within said predetermined time interval to include an identification relative to said video signal and/or said audio signal within a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, a determined high level portion thereof in a configuration so as to reduce the effects of the inclusion of said identification on said video signal and/or said audio signal, wherein said identification is detected only by sampling and detecting all of the least significant bits of all of the video signal and/or audio signal in said predetermined time interval, and processing all of said detected least significant bits; and  
       transmission means for transmitting said video signal and/or said audio signal including the identification.  
     
     
       5. The signal transmission apparatus as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said video signal and/or said audio signal is modified to include said identification in a configuration so that said identification is detected by statistic processing of said video signal and/or said audio signal. 
     
     
       6. The signal transmission apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein a least significant bit of a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal is modified to include said identification. 
     
     
       7. A signal receiving method comprising: 
       receiving a signal comprised of a video signal and/or an audio signal having included therein at least an identification relevant to said video signal and/or said audio signal within a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, a determined high level portion thereof within a predetermined time interval, said video signal and/or said audio signal having been modified to include said identification in a configuration so as to reduce the effects of the inclusion of the identification on said video signal and/or said audio signal; and  
       detecting, from the/received signal, the identification included as a portion of said modified video signal and/or said audio signal by sampling and detecting all of the least significant bits of all of the video signal and/or audio signal in said predetermined time interval, and processing said detected least significant bits.  
     
     
       8. The signal receiving method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said video signal and/or said audio signal has been modified to include said identification in a configuration so that said identification is detected by statistic processing of said video signal and/or said audio signal. 
     
     
       9. The signal receiving method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein a least significant bit of a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal is modified to include said identification. 
     
     
       10. A signal receiving apparatus comprising: 
       means for receiving a signal comprised of a video signal and/or an audio signal having included therein at least an identification relevant to said video signal and/or said audio signal within a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, a determined high level portion thereof within a predetermined time interval, said video signal and/or said audio signal having been modified to include said identification in a configuration so as to reduce the effects of the inclusion of the identification on said video signal and/or said audio signal; and  
       detection means for detecting, from the received signal, the identification included as a portion of said modified video signal and/or said audio signal by sampling and detecting all of the least significant bits of all of the video signal and/or audio signal in said predetermined time interval, and processing said detected least significant bits.  
     
     
       11. The signal receiving apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said video signal and/or said audio signal has been modified to include said identification in a configuration so that said identification is detected by statistic processing of said video signal and/or said audio signal. 
     
     
       12. The signal receiving apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein a least significant bit of a portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal is modified to include said identification. 
     
     
       13. The signal transmission method of  claim 1 , wherein said portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, said high level portion is modified by increasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, decreasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, or keeping the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal without change. 
     
     
       14. The signal transmission method of  claim 1 , wherein said identification is inserted in a least significant bit of a plurality of said video and/or audio signal at predetermined portions of said video and/or audio signal, said identification defining that said video and/or audio signal is original or copied, a maker identification, a formatter identification, or copying management information. 
     
     
       15. The signal transmission apparatus for  claim 4 , wherein said portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, said high level portion is modified by increasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, decreasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, or keeping the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal without change. 
     
     
       16. The signal transmission apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said identification is inserted in a least significant bit of a plurality of said video and/or audio signal at predetermined portions of said video and/or audio signal, said identification defining that said video and/or audio signal is original or copied, a maker identification, a formatter identification, or copying management information. 
     
     
       17. The signal receiving method of  claim 7 , wherein said portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, said high level portion has been modified by increasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, decreasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, or keeping the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal without change. 
     
     
       18. The signal receiving method of  claim 7 , wherein said identification has been inserted in a least significant bit of a plurality of said video and/or audio signal at predetermined portions of said video and/or audio signal, said identification defining that said video and/or audio signal is original or copied, a maker identification, a formatter identification, or copying management information. 
     
     
       19. The signal receiving apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said portion of said video signal and/or said audio signal including, or in the vicinity of, said high level portion has been modified by increasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, decreasing the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal, or keeping the values of said video signal and/or said audio signal without change. 
     
     
       20. The signal receiving apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said identification has been inserted in a least significant bit of a plurality of said video and/or audio signal at predetermined portions of said video and/or audio signal, said identification defining that said video and/or audio signal is original or copied, a maker identification, a formatter identification, or copying management information.